You may have the mental age of 10 but if you have then so have Ialthough I always felt the 'boost' button should be on the gear knob, red with a flip up cover.
Totally brilliant!
I like your style.
General Drove a TA today
- Thread starter 306maxi
- Start date
Currently reading:
General Drove a TA today
Totally brilliant!
I like your style.
I've only driven the TA in the Panda 4x4 and it is a hoot although the noise in 1st / 2nd gear is disconcerting as it kind of doesn't sound as though everything is working together, if you know what I mean? Almost like the exhaust is blowing?
Does the 500 TA have the same 6 speed gearbox as the Panda TA?
Plus I like the idea of the eco button being replaced by a red boost button under a flip-top lid in the gear knob - who wouldn't want that?
Does the 500 TA have the same 6 speed gearbox as the Panda TA?
Plus I like the idea of the eco button being replaced by a red boost button under a flip-top lid in the gear knob - who wouldn't want that?
Last edited:
I hate it how the eco button makes the steering super-light... that alone makes me never want to use it
when you park it in a very tight parking space in central London for the first time you begin to understand the usefulness of the light steering
redfive
New member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2013
- Messages
- 13
- Points
- 4
Have had my '12 plate TA since April this year. My daily commute is a 60 mile round trip along some lovely curving B roads. The temptation to turn off the Eco button is killer But the great mpg is the flipside of that particular dilemma.
But weekends are when the Eco gets a rest. :devil: The engine noise inside the cabin makes it sound like a car worth worth a lot more. Who needs a fancy Blue & Me stereo when you can listen to that!
But the great mpg is the flipside of that particular dilemma.But weekends are when the Eco gets a rest. :devil: The engine noise inside the cabin makes it sound like a car worth worth a lot more. Who needs a fancy Blue & Me stereo when you can listen to that!
I hate it how the eco button makes the steering super-light... that alone makes me never want to use it
They fixed that in the Panda by fitting 2 buttons,
Glad you drove a TA Maxi, and glad you didn't fall into the small minority of nay sayers.
OP
OP
Tbh I was underwhelmed compared to how people rave about them, but it's a nice enough engine
arthur daley
Member
Stop calling it the Eco button too, make it red and call it turbo boost
Need to make a sticker that says "More Power"
OP
OP
I think some people seem to have missed the point of my thread and have had the usual twinair love in.
Don't get me wrong, I like the engine, it does have a good dollop of character and was nice to drive, hell, if I were getting another 500 I'm 80% sure I'd get the twinair, but to me it didn't match up to hype that seems to surrounds it on here?
Like I said it kind of felt fast, but the pace didn't really match up to how fast it felt like it was going. Now obviously if you've never driven a quick car, the artificial feeling of pace will be impressive (and it does feel fast!), but it just didn't win me over like it has with others on here. I really really really wanted to love it like people on here do, instead I just really like it rather than love it.
The fact that the 1.2 is quite a bit cheaper and more economical means it's not quite as clear cut in favour of the TA for me.
Don't get me wrong, I like the engine, it does have a good dollop of character and was nice to drive, hell, if I were getting another 500 I'm 80% sure I'd get the twinair, but to me it didn't match up to hype that seems to surrounds it on here?
Like I said it kind of felt fast, but the pace didn't really match up to how fast it felt like it was going. Now obviously if you've never driven a quick car, the artificial feeling of pace will be impressive (and it does feel fast!), but it just didn't win me over like it has with others on here. I really really really wanted to love it like people on here do, instead I just really like it rather than love it.
The fact that the 1.2 is quite a bit cheaper and more economical means it's not quite as clear cut in favour of the TA for me.
Well it isn't really supposed to be fast, we way shout about how fun and nippy the TA is but it certainly isn't a hot hatch by any stretch of the imagination. If you want a 500 with performance then you get an abarth. However that's also not to say you can't surprise a few people with the TA because it can be a little speedy when it wants to be
OP
OP
Even the abarth in standard form isn't a hot hatch tbh.
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2013
- Messages
- 1,537
- Points
- 276
If you take the time to understand how the TA works and drive accordingly, you'll better a 1.2. I did 48MPG on a tank inclusive of a track day. Last tank was 52. Every tank to date has gotten 4MPG better than the last, 60 MPG is just a matter of the engine breaking in. I use full throttle to accelerate and keep ECO off
The TA has DFCO down to idle and no fuel enrichment at WOT (someone can correct me if the FIRE doesn't do enrichment at WOT). These two factors alone would make the TA worthwhile over a FIRE to me. All I need now is an Arduino to make an automatically controlled ECO button to smooth out the low end.
I'm sorry but you could be writing in a foreign language as far as numptys like me are concerned. What is DFCO and WOT please?
306maxi, I think the appeal of the TA is nothing to do with performance and more to do with perception. In the real world the performance differences between a 1.2 and a TA can be negated by the driver involved. What the TA gives in spades is character which is where the fun factor comes in. There are quite a few of us with TA's that have come from big engined cars but we love our small engined replacement, why? I think its more to do with the way the car makes you feel over any perceived performance it may/may not have. Looking at the two engines clinically, as you have, i can understand your concerns, but most people don't buy with just their head. To use a phrase from the tabloid TV, it has the 'X' factor. When I test drove the 500 I did so with both engines back to back and after driving the TA couldn't imagine buying the 1.2 and have not regretted my decision since.
OP
OP
Describing the ta like that actually makes me dislike it! I very much prefer substance over style.
I'd agree with all that. The motor is just an 875cc twin cyl turbo, I don't think anyone is pretending it's a hot hatch. It's just a lot of fun.
Unsure exactly what DFCO is, I'd guess the last letters are fuel cut off?
In my Panda, this is not the same as my old 500. If in the higher gears at least you roll in gear to slow down the ecu starts adding throttle at around 1450 rpm.
I can only assume this is an effort to stop you trying to drive at 1100 rpm where the motor doesn't like it.
WOT wide open throttle.
Oh no! Sounds like you're swinging toward the nay sayers!
Last edited:
Lucky for Fiat that you are in the minority then. As has been said many times on here the 500 is not aimed at the serious driver and the majority of owners forgive its faults for the grin factor that it delivers in spades
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2011
- Messages
- 2,102
- Points
- 358
Hmm. I'm not sure what 'substance' it's missing. It's a small engine with a turbo in a small car. It's a laugh to drive, being honest, it does make most sense in city driving, but it holds its own for higher speed runs if you need it.
Horses for courses, you love your 1.2 - I found it a bit boring when I used one for a few days, but could see the appeal if you're into that sort of thing.
OP
OP
I don't really love the 1.2, it's functional, economical and propels the car, that's about it.
